The Washington, D.C., federal prosecutor's office announced Friday a 35 percent drop in violent crime, touting the success of violence prevention programs and law enforcement interventions.
“Shortly after I took the job, the agency began employing a strategy that involved working with law enforcement partners to identify the promoters of violence, the gangs and groups that traffic in drugs, protect turf, carjack, etc. All robberies were committed while armed,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, who announced his resignation earlier this week.
“These investigations and prosecutions take time to develop, but this is the result of that effort, the reduction in violent crime that D.C. is now seeing,” he added.
Last year, the city's homicide rate reached its highest rate in 30 years, prompting lawmakers and community leaders to step in with non-traditional aid efforts to combat illegal firearms possession and neighborhood gang violence.
As a result, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) recorded a 32% decrease in homicides. Robberies decreased by 39%. Armed carjackings decreased by 53 percent. Assaults with dangerous weapons decreased by 27% compared to 2023 levels.
This success comes after the city's Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) appointed Pamela A. Smith as police chief following the resignation of Robert Contee.
“Here in Washington, D.C., and especially here at MPD, we're starting to take advantage of technology that we've never seen before. The mayor has approved the addition of surveillance cameras throughout the city,” said Smith, a former U.S. Park Police chief. Ta. NBC4 Washington.
Officers will have access to a real-time crime center that helps authorities process footage more efficiently, and a re-accredited crime lab for investigations in the district after three years of closure. I was able to do it.
